It's Been a Minute

A tale of murder, artificial intelligence, & forgiveness

14 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Should AI give you a voice? Even when you've been murdered?An AI avatar of a murder victim addressed his killer in court last week, and it may have be...

Can OnlyFans save the music industry?

12 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Concert tickets are more expensive than ever, and according to Live Nation, 2023 was the biggest year ever for concert turnout and ticket sales. So wh...

The political power of Gen Z women

09 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The leftward shift of Gen Z women is one of the most dramatic political trends happening right now. Polling data from Gallup found that 40% of young w...

The fantasy vs. reality of Trump's "smokestack nostalgia"

07 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Trump administration wants their recent tariffs to function as incentives for Americans to produce more of our own goods in our own factories. And...

The Met Gala: the indisputable best & worst looks of the night

06 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

They did THAT. The biggest designers and celebrities showed up at the 2025 Met Gala, everyone from Rihanna to Madonna. And in this special bonus episo...

The Met Gala is tonight, and it's already historic. Here's why.

05 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It's the first Monday in May. AKA it's time for the annual Met Gala. Or as some call it, "fashion's biggest night." Celebrities will walk the steps of...

Are you pope-pilled? Here's your guide to the 2025 Conclave.

02 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Have you been feeling a little Conclave-pilled lately? Well, you're not alone. In the aftermath of of Pope Francis' passing, the world is buzzing at t...

Trend Alert: The girls are making office fashion sexy again

30 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Pencil skirt. Kitten heels. Tiny glasses. And a little dark edge. These are just some of the elements of one of the most enduring fashion trends of th...

Men have body dysmorphia too. That's why some use this drug.

28 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Body modifiers like Ozempic and other weight loss drugs have gotten attention for how skinny they can make you. But what if you're a boy who wants to ...

Think you have ADHD? Here's why so many of us are saying yes.

25 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Have you seen ADHD content pop up in your feeds? Are you getting a lot of it? In the past few years, there's been a surge in the number of adults diag...

The "priest of AI" & tech's pursuit of eternal life

23 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Have you heard of Bryan Johnson – tech centimillionaire turned longevity evangelist? He made headlines when he started getting infusions of his own ...

The Oprah to "Make America Healthy Again" Pipeline

21 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Have you or someone you love been confused by the push to 'Make America Healthy Again'? Then you, my friend, are in dire need of our series: The Road ...

Are men in your life getting more political? This guy may be why.

18 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Have you turned on ESPN recently? You might be surprised to find that the sports bros are abandoning GOAT debates and getting political. No one is mor...

Fake skull science is back - and it's still racist

16 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Can the shape of your skull or the look of your face say something deeper about you? Like – if you're a good parent? Or if you're smart? Or if you'r...

When adults reject vaccines, children pay the price

14 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Have you or someone you love been confused by the push to 'Make America Healthy Again'? Then you, my friend, are in dire need of our new series: The R...

This podcast is a recession indicator.

11 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Global markets got a case of the jitters this week in the wake of President Trump's global tariff policy. Everyone from hedge fund managers to online ...

Who gets to be a critic? And why are some so "bad?"

09 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Andrea Long Chu was once one of Brittany's favorite Sex and the City bloggers, and she's now a Pulitzer-winning critic. Andrea lends her critical eye ...

Crunchy conservatives want to 'Make America Healthy Again'

07 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Have you or someone you love been confused by the push to 'Make America Healthy Again'?Side effects may include: - Being inundated by uncredentialed w...

Oaklee, Cohen, & Mateo: why are these Gen-Alpha's hottest names?

04 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Baby names tell a story - about a family's unique history, about a specific moment in time, and even about politics. A survey tracking the top 500 nam...

Fast fashion vs. Trump: why women may pay more in the tariff wars

02 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

At the beginning of the year, Brittany spoke to ELLE Fashion Features Director and author, Véronique Hyland, about the growing trend of underconsumpt...

Am I a god?! Why "manifesting" your reality is easier than ever

31 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

America is a deeply spiritual nation. Over 70% of us say that we feel spiritual in some way. But – at the same time – we're getting less religious...

Is marriage worth it? Single women say no.

28 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It's hard out there for single women who date men. You've maybe heard friends complaining about the dating pool, or perhaps you yourself are navigatin...

It's time to rewrite the "trauma plot."

26 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

There are a lot of big subjects that our culture has trouble talking about: wealth, death, addiction, religion. But one of the toughest has to be sexu...

Why tech bros worship psychedelics (and think you should too)

24 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

America is a deeply spiritual nation. Over 70% of us say that we feel spiritual in some way. But – at the same time – we're getting less religious...

Poppers, the FDA, & a crackdown decades in the making

21 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Poppers, a party substance long popular with gay men, were thrust into the national spotlight last week when one producer, Double Scorpio, claimed tha...

How "race-neutral" can universities really be?

19 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

After the Supreme Court banned affirmative action in higher education, there was legitimate worry that Black and Hispanic students would be overlooked...

Goodbye, church... Hello, Wellness Industrial Complex!

17 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

America is a deeply spiritual nation. Over 70% of us say that we feel spiritual in some way. But – at the same time – we're getting less religious...

What's more "American" than the right to protest?

14 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Last weekend, former Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil was arrested by federal immigration authorities. The move was an escalation in the Tru...

"Gender is a negotiation" whether you realize it or not.

12 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What does it even mean to be trans? That's the first question Torrey Peters asks readers in her new book, Stag Dance, and it's the question that every...

"Celebrity" just isn't hitting like it used to...

10 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When twitch streamers can sway elections and viral videos can turn fifteen seconds of fame into hundreds of millions of dollars, it kind of makes you ...

Is Hollywood soft censoring Palestinian art?

07 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Last weekend, the Academy Award for Best Documentary went to a film that still lacks a U.S. distribution deal. 'No Other Land' is a powerful look at P...

The R-word is back. But why?

05 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Over the past few years, Brittany has noticed the resurgence of the R-word - a word that otherwise left the cultural lexicon. And while that's troubli...

Want to be less lonely? Here are five tips.

03 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We're back with a bonus episode of "All the Lonely People," a series diving deep into how loneliness shows up in our lives. This week: how do we get o...

The WWE vs. the American education system

28 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump is calling for the end of the U.S. Department of Education, but so have other Republicans since the day it was formed in 1979. So why ...

What women want: to embrace their inner monsters

26 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What do The Substance, Nosferatu, and Babygirl have in common? They externalize the characters' inner feelings - self-loathing, guilt, shame - in the ...

Lonely? There's an app for that... but should there be?

24 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We're back with "All the Lonely People," a series diving deep into how loneliness shows up in our lives. This week: can tech cure our loneliness? Comp...

Artists vs. the White House

21 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Several entertainers and artists have severed ties with the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts since President Trump assumed chairmanship ...

Need a laugh in these trying times? 'One of Them Days' is the comedy for you

19 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Keke Palmer and SZA play two down on their luck friends who run into a series of hilarious unfortunate events in One of Them Days. Host Brittany Luse ...

The men's loneliness epidemic might not exist

17 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We're back with "All the Lonely People," a series diving deep into how loneliness shows up in our lives. This week: is the men's loneliness epidemic o...

Eggs are expensive, but are they safe?

14 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The price of eggs is skyrocketing due to avian flu, with no clear signs of slowing down. This week, Brittany is joined by NPR health correspondent Wil...

Nickel Boys gives a new point of view to the Civil Rights era

12 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How do you adapt an "unadaptable" book? Today, host Brittany Luse finds out with RaMell Ross, director of the Oscar nominated adaptation of Colson Whi...

The acute loneliness of moms

10 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We're launching a series called "All the Lonely People," diving deep into how loneliness shows up in our lives and how our culture shapes it. This wee...

Why is Trump "Flooding the Zone?"

07 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Have you been dodging the news lately? Feeling a familiar sense of info fatigue creeping in? You're not alone. This week, Brittany is joined by NPR's ...

On immigration, "what if fear is the message?"

05 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump has signed numerous executive orders surrounding immigration, but one in particular put everyone on high alert - a move to end birthri...

Books vs. Brain Rot: why it's so hard to read

03 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Data from Gallup and the Bureau of Labor Statistics show that Americans are reading fewer books and spending less time reading than ever.There's been ...

Did DEI D.I.E.? Welcome to a new kind of 'civil rights' era

31 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The new Trump administration is using the language of civil rights but flipping it on its head. If 'diversity' is now being coded as discrimination, w...

The Grammy nominee you need to hear: Esperanza Spalding

29 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How do you bring the African Diaspora to the Grammys?Esperanza Spalding and Milton Nascimento's contrasting tones make a perfect team on Milton + espe...

Intellectuals vs. The Internet

27 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What good is a Humanities degree? According to two intellectuals, Dr. Ally Louks and Jason Stanley, the Humanities help us better connect to other hum...

Tech billionaires want to get richer. Trump is already helping them.

24 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump is no stranger to buddying up with the ultra rich, and that was on full display at his inauguration. Tech CEOs billionaires like Elon ...

How Latinos found Evangelicalism and Trump

22 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Donald Trump has been re-sworn in as President of the United States. And for this re-ascendency, he owes a thank you to Latino voters, especially Lati...

Why are people smearing beef fat on their face?

20 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Is beef tallow a good skincare moisturizer?According to Pew Research Center, 79% of New Year's resolutions are about one thing: health. It's Been a Mi...

Is fact-checking "censorship?" Why Meta's changes are a win for conservatives.

17 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that Meta will end their third-party fact checking program, loosen their hate speech restrictions, and move some of...

Bad Bunny & the battle for Puerto Rico

15 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Bad Bunny's new album, DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS, has struck a chord with fans worldwide. He's always expressed a deep love for Puerto Rico, but his late...

Is your favorite pop star spreading propaganda?

13 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter-themed NFL halftime show performance showcased Black Americana, and drew in millions of viewers, but it left some viewers ask...

Bad news for protein bros: you might be getting scammed

10 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How much protein do you really need to consume?According to Pew Research Center, 79% of New Year's resolutions are about one thing: health. It's Been ...

Is The Squad dead? Cori Bush on the future of progressive politics

08 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Five years ago progressive Democrats seemed to be on the rise. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez had just ousted a moderate Democrat, and Senator Bernie Sander...

Sober-curious? Why your friends (and maybe you) are going dry.

06 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why is sobriety more popular than ever?According to Pew – 79% of New Year's resolutions are about one thing: health. It's Been a Minute is kicking o...

2025 Predictions: social media is OUT & food politics are IN

03 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Brittany has some predictions for the big trends to watch for in 2025. First, social media is OUT. Not that people will stop using social platforms, b...

All hail the queen of rom-coms

01 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Happy New Year! Pop champagne, kiss a loved one, and turn on the rom-com that made New Year's Eve a backdrop of your fall inspo Pinterest board: When ...

Kill your daddies? TV's obsession with patricide

30 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

From HBO's Industry to FX's The Bear, 2024 was full of TV characters working out their "daddy issues" the tough way...by committing patricide. This we...

Ranking the best and worst of 2024: Moo Deng, Drake & Crashing Out

27 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

To close out 2024, Brittany and friends are running through the best and worst pop culture moments of the past 365 days. Along with NPR's Weekend Edit...

2024's ACTUAL Sexiest Men Alive? We have thoughts.

24 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

PEOPLE Magazine has done it again. Last month they revealed this year's "Sexiest Man Alive"...John Krasinski. And, Brittany and the hosts of the Who W...

Drones, TikTok & Luigi Mangione have us asking: who's watching us?

20 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

From the drones over New Jersey, to the surveillance cameras that captured Luigi Mangione, to even TikTok - our movements, our likeness, even our shop...

Blocking your mom: why adult children are going no contact

17 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It's the holiday season. The time of year when many of us go back home to see our families. But this year, a lot of people aren't going home, and mayb...

Luigi Mangione & America's pent up pain

13 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Luigi Mangione is alleged to have shot and killed United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, and even before he was identified, the reaction to the shooter...

Your date gave you 'The Ick?' That might be a YOU problem.

10 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It's cuffing season: the time of year where the weather cools down and folks look for a warm body to cuddle up with. But we're getting into some of th...

Thin is back in, but did it ever leave us?

06 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When TikTok user, Slim Kim, posted a video expressing how much she loves 'being skinny,' she set off a wave of internet discourse. What's the line bet...

So you got dumped... should you post your breakup deets online?

03 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It's cuffing season: the time of year where the weather cools down and folks look for a warm body to cuddle up with. But we're getting into some of th...

"Is it OK to ask about salary on the first date?" How to marry romance and finance

29 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It's cuffing season: the time of year where the weather cools down and folks look for a warm body to cuddle up with. But we're getting into some of th...

Who deserves to be a parent?

26 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Our culture loves to celebrate adoption stories - and a lot of state governments put millions into promoting it. But adoptees and birth parents are op...

UFOs to RFKs: How conspiracy theories went mainstream

22 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Are UFOs real? Maybe, but that's not the point. From Congressional hearings on UFOs to the claims of RFK Jr., conspiracies have gone from fringe to ma...

Make America Male Again? Fifteen years of aggrieved men

19 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The boys are not alright. They are falling behind in education and employment, and many have responded by leaning into the politics of the aggrieved. ...

Why pop stars aren't having kids (and why you might not either)

15 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Baby fever just isn't spreading like it used to. The United States fertility rate hit an all-time low last year, and some of our biggest musicians, li...

Mormon Moms: Unpacking a national obsession

12 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

From Hulu's The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives to your favorite homemaking TikTok influencers, the women of the Church of Latter Day Saints have been ga...

"Are you surprised?" Three Black women react to the election

08 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What's surprising about Trump returning to the White House? For Brittany Luse, Pop Culture Happy Hour's Aisha Harris, and NPR's Alana Wise there isn't...

The hot mom rom-com phenomenon

05 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It's Election Day, but instead of focusing on politics, we decided to do something a little lighter for the occasion: we're looking at this year's hot...

America's Next Top Scapegoat; plus, Inside the Black Manosphere

01 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The 2024 presidential candidates are making their closing arguments. While VP Harris is focused on the economy and abortion rights, Donald Trump has d...

Onscreen cannibalism and our hunger for love

29 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

For the third and final installment of our Trilogy of Terror series, host Brittany Luse turns her attention to the ultimate taboo: cannibalism. Cannib...

The Billboard Hot 100's doom loop; Plus, a new kind of true crime story

25 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The same songs are sitting at the top of the music charts longer than ever, and that has Brittany Luse wondering, are our listening habits stuck in a ...

Kylie Minogue's tips for staying on top

23 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Kylie Minogue is having a capital-M moment, and Brittany sits down in studio with the pop star to talk about how to keep reaching new heights in a car...

The false promise of climate havens; plus, the 'help' in horror

18 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Extreme weather is becoming more frequent. Now some towns that were touted as "safe" are seeing hurricanes, floods or heat waves. This week, host Brit...

Sasha Colby takes us to Drag college

15 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Sasha Colby is your favorite drag queen's favorite drag queen. That's because she's one of the most decorated and influential drag queens working toda...

Is the free speech debate dead? Plus, the devil!

11 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In anticipation of more pro-Palestinian protests, many college administrators rolled out new rules this fall that include getting pre-approval for pos...

The SMACKDOWN: Techno vs. Aaliyah vs. Motown

09 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Who will win today's cage match?For the past two months Brittany has been hosting debates in cities and regions across the United States to find out w...

The 'reddit bro' vs. the 'wife guy'; plus, Fat Bear Week!

04 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Tuesday night, JD Vance and Tim Walz faced off in their first debate. Host Brittany Luse is joined by NPR's national race and identity correspondent S...

The SMACKDOWN: Rihanna's greatest hits vs. Black Wall Street vs. Route 66

02 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Who will win today's cage match?Welcome to The Smackdown! For the last few weeks Brittany has been hosting debates in cities and regions across the U...

An identity crisis at the heart of the election; plus, disrupting biracial fantasies

27 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Following the false allegations against the Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, the city received over 30 bomb threats, saw school closures and e...

The SMACKDOWN: Serena Williams vs. Muhammad Ali vs. Trina

24 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Who will win today's cage match?Welcome to The Smackdown! For the next several weeks Brittany is hosting debates in cities and regions across the Unit...

Is Diddy hip-hop's Weinstein? Plus, Brittany gets rejected

20 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On Monday, the embattled rap mogul Sean 'Diddy' Combs was arrested and charged with sex trafficking and racketeering. He's been denied bail twice, and...

The SMACKDOWN: Brunch vs. Twerking vs. Louis Armstrong

17 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Who will win today's cage match?Welcome to The Smackdown! For the next several weeks Brittany is hosting debates in cities and regions across the Unit...

Trump goes podcasting and Harris turns a look

13 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Podcast and social media influencers have become important campaign stops for political hopefuls. But what kind of voters are the candidates courting?...

The SMACKDOWN: Gucci Mane vs. Angela Davis vs. Sun Ra

10 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Who will win today's cage match?Welcome to The Smackdown! For the next several weeks Brittany is hosting debates in cities and regions across the Unit...

Gen Z asks: what is school for? Plus, rebranding gentrification

06 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It's September, which means millions of young learners across the country are dusting off their backpacks and heading back to school. But a new study ...

The SMACKDOWN: Video Games vs. Journalism vs. Robert Frost

03 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Who will win today's cage match?Welcome to The Smackdown! For the next several weeks Brittany is hosting debates in cities and regions across the Unit...

Chappell Roan and celebrity hazing; plus, MrBeast's entertainment charity

30 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

After Chappell Roan posted about how some fans have been making her feel unsafe, there's been speculation around whether the singer is really 'cut out...

The rise of the Pumpkin Spice Latte

28 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It's been 21 years since Starbucks debuted the first pumpkin spice latte in 2003. Since then, it's become a cultural phenomenon greater than itself: i...

"The Squad" loses two members; plus, Colman Domingo shines in 'SING SING'

23 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

As the dust settles on the DNC, host Brittany Luse takes a look at the challenges facing a group of progressive democrats commonly known as "The Squad...

The SMACKDOWN: Maya Angelou vs. Harvey Milk vs. MC Hammer

20 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Who will win today's cage match?Welcome to The Smackdown! For the next several weeks Brittany is hosting debates in cities and regions across the Unit...

The SMACKDOWN: The Peanuts vs. Prince vs. Dungeons & Dragons

16 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Who will win today's cage match?Welcome to The Smackdown! For the next several weeks Brittany is hosting debates in cities and regions across the Unit...

Does 'weird' work for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz?

13 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Ever since Minnesota governor and Democratic vice-presidential nominee Tim Walz called Republicans "weird," we've seen other Democrats embrace this na...